Concepts & Themes:

This week’s assignment will encompass the following concepts, which will be previewed during the Class 1 lecture orientation:


QGIS Project Source: QGIS Project


Class 1 Lecture:

Note: due to Omicron/Covid University protocol for first two weeks of instruction, all materials and instruction will be conducted online, including Class 1 Lecture.

Lecture 1


Class 1 Reading:

Assignment 1 Data Download:

Part I - Installing QGIS:

The obvious first step of using a GIS software is to either install it or access an online platform. While there are many online GIS utilities, database frameworks and platforms online, generally robust GIS analysis requires a full package located on a hard drive. In this way, geospatial data operations - many that are significantly memory intensive - can run efficiently. For our purposes, the following instructions are given for both the Mac and Windows operating systems. Both assume a relatively modern, i.e. recent operating system and sufficient disk space.

QGIS Mac Install Process:

Note: there are two release versions- the Long Term Release (LTR) and the current version. For this course, either version will work well. The upside of the current version is that you have the very latest features; however there may be bugs that appear along the way. The advantage of the LTR version is that its the most stable major release. Weekly instruction and tutorials will be demonstrated using the LTR version of the 3.x platform of QGIS. The current LTR as of 1/22/2022 is as follows:

  • The long-term repositories currently offer QGIS 3.16.16 ‘Hannover’.

  • Next, download the correct option for your machine:

QGIS for correct OS

Note: there are two options - Official All-in-one, signed installers vs the Alternative Build. Until the latest 3x releases, the Alternative Build was the Official buid. The Alternative Build requires additional packages to be installed alongside QGIS; the now Official 3x installer streamlines this process. In short, use the first Official All-in-one, signed installers if at all possible.

  • To determine your operating system, navigate to Finder > About This Mac:

Determine OS version

  • Once downloaded, the result will be a disk image file with the extension .dmg:

QGIS Disk Image

  • Double-click the .dmg file, accept license declaration and proceed to expansion:

  • Slide the QGIS3.X icon to the right atop the Applications folder alias. Once done, QGIS will begin to install on the machine. Expect the application to take slightly less than 2GB hard drive space in the Applications folder:

QGIS Disk Image > Applications Folder

  • Installed in Applications folder:

Applications Install

  • Double-click the Application. If you get the following error, you can right-click > open to get past the error:

open for correct install

QGIS Windows Install Process:

Note: there are two release versions- the Long Term Release (LTR) and the current version. For this course, either version will work well. The upside of the current version is that you have the very latest features; however there may be bugs that appear along the way. The advantage of the LTR version is that its the most stable major release. Weekly instruction and tutorials will be demonstrated using the LTR version of the 3.x platform of QGIS (Version 3.16.1 LTR as of 8/29/21).

  • Next, download the correct option for your machine:

    • At download options, navigate to the Standalone options section for your Windows machine - 32 bit vs 64 bit. To determine the bit version of your machine, you can check it via the system profile:

    • Windows key (shown in image below) + x > System > Device specifications > System type:

    Determine OS version

    • The Standalone Installers:

    Standalone Installers

    • As default, the setup application can be opened from Downloads:

    QGIS Applications Download

    • Follow the install prompts and accept all default options. Only download the application itself, not the additional sample data packages:

    Download Application

    • Once fully installed, a new QGIS folder will be located inside the Programs folder on your machine. To access QGIS for the first time, use Search and then open the application as shown. Once open, you can pin it to your taskbar and/or make an application shortcut for future access in addition to launching application:

    • QGIS Installed

Part II - Installing File Compression Tools:

https://www.keka.io/en/

Windows Zip Utility Install (7 Zip):

  • Choose your operating system version from the list at 7 Zip:

7 Zip version for OS

  • Download the .exe and expand onto the Windows machine. Once installed, 7 Zip will be available with a right-click > open action.

Mac Zip Utility Install:

  • Point the browser to keka.io and download the utility tool:

Mac OS utility tool

  • Like QGIS, drag the utility tool icon rightward to the Applications folder: Once done, a right-click > open action will give access to the utility tool to unpack a variety of compressed files and directories:

Application > Applications Folder

  • Once done, a right>click > open action will give access to the utility tool to unpack a variety of compressed files and directories:

open for correct install

Part III - The QGIS application interface:

QGIS Main Interface

Review the following components that correspond with the numbered interface locations show above:

  1. Map Canvas - The main display module for spatial data.
  2. Browser Panel - Directory connections and file hierachies.
  3. Layers Panel - A stacked display of data within the QGIS project.
  4. Toolbars - Various tasks common to typical GIS workflows.
  5. Menu Bar - Top level navigation device with drop-down capacity per component.

Note: within the Menu Bar, Plugins is located. This is a critical component of the topline Menu Bar. Here there are two sub-components - the plugins themselves and the Python Console. Throughout the course we will utilize plugins to accomplish certain tasks. Further, many functions within QGIS rely on python in the background which is installed alongside QGIS on the first install.

If you want to learn more about how to script and run python functions for spatial analysis within QGIS, a recommended primer to get started is located as follows:

Managing QGIS Plugins

QGIS Panels

Class 1 Data Uncompressed

Natural Earth Admin Dataset

Natural Earth Populated Places Simple Version

QGIS Source Layer Tool

QGIS Source Layer Tool > Vector Features

Note: its the .shp component of the ‘sidecar’ files listed in the sub-directory that is the critical file to open. Make sure to follow open with add so that the .shp is indeed added to the Map Canvas.

QGIS Map Canvas

Note: Color symbology per layer is random upon the initial data load in QGIS. We will make simple changes for this assignment. Keep in mind that upcoming assignments will feature much more robust symbol manipulation; for now simple manipulation is warranted.

Note: There is a compressed project save convention (.qgz) and another that is not compressed (.qgs). Proceed with the uncompressed option.

Part IV - Producing Cartographic Output:

QGIS Print Layout Toolbar

Layout Titling

Layout Page Properties

Page Orientation Options

Saving QGIS Projects

Adding the QGIS current map instance to Layout

Map Properties > Scale

Note: Scale concepts will be covered in more detail during Class 2.

QGIS CRS in Map Layout

Robinson Map Projection

Moving Map Features in Map Layout

Note: If you want to learn a bit more about the Robinson Projection, the wiki for the projection is a succinct read with a good historical overview - located HERE

Map Symbology in QGIS

Refresh View

Legend Items

Legend Items > Renaming

Map Titling

QGIS Map Canvas Items Panel

Part V - Deliverable:

Map Items in the Panel

QGIS Export Options

Class 1 Assignment Map Anatomy Example

Note: in the first two maps linked below, the chosen map scale results in a ‘run-on’ of populated places along the map page edges both left and right. Try to avoid this by centering and setting your chosen map scale to feature all land mass and populated places within the main map frame, centered on the map page:


Resources

QGIS Documentation: includes the User Guide, Training Manual, and Gentle Introduction to GIS

Open Source Geospatial Foundation: includes news and information about projects, conferences, and community

Natural Earth Data: Original data source utilized for this Assignment 1